Pleat forming and hanging apparatus



May 12, 1964 J. J. POTYE 3,132,687

PLEAT FORMING AND HANGING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 15. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet lFIGB FIG.4

INVENTOR. JOHN J. POTYE 34 ATTORNEY May 12, 1964 111 mm 3,132,687

PLEAT FORMING AND HANGING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 15, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. JOHN J. POTYE 6i F1613 afiya /id ATTORNEY United States Patent3,132,687 PLEAT FORMING AND HANGING APPARATUS John Potye, 1245 Marengo,Forest Park, Ill. Filed Dec. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 159,702 9 Claims. (Cl.160348) The present invention is directed to simplified pleat formingsystems for draperies and the like.

Pleats in drapery fabrics and the like are conventionally formed throughuse of stitching, with or without some reinforcing sheet material forthe pleats. Such stitching requires a considerable amount of labor. Themajor purpose of the present invention is to create a new and simplifiedsystem for forming pleats in fabrics, without need of stitching, andwhich, at the same time, provides both a stiffening reinforcement forthe pleats and a simple means for suspending the pleated ends of thefabric from a suitable support.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of theensuing specification and claims when taken with the accompanyingdrawings, in which::

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the drapery using the pleatingprinciples of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the pleat forming blank utilized inthe invention;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the blank of FIGURE 2 when folded andpositioned for use;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the blank illustrated in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a top view of draperies utilizing the present invention andsuspended from a wall or ceiling;

FIGURE 6 is an end view illustrating details of mounting the pleatedends of the drapery fabric on a supportin ring;

FIGURE 8 is a side view of the slip ring illustrated in FIGURE 7, whileillustrating the position of the slip ring on a supporting tube or rail;

FIGURE 9 is a top view of a pleated lamp shade utilizing the pleatforming principles of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional illustration of the shade il- FIGURE 7 is anend view of a slip ring adapted to be used with the suspensionillustrated in FIGURE 6;

lustrated in FIGURE 9 taken on the section lines 1010 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a side view of a pleat forming blank used in FIGURES 9 and10;

FIGURE 12 is a top view of the blank illustrated in FIGURE 11 butillustrating a folded position of the blank; and

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of the folded blank of FIGURE 12.

Like elements are designated by like characters throughout thespecification and drawings.

With particular reference now to the drawings and in the first instanceto FIGURE 1, the numerals 20 and 21 designate vertically suspendedpanels of drapery fabric which are adapted to overlap at their marginaledges in conventional fashion as at 22.

In accordance with the present invention, the pleats of the fabric areformed and held in the proper pleated position through use of pleatforming members 23, the upper ends of which are exposed in FIGURE 1 forpurposes of understanding the invention.

Each of these pleat forming members 23 are formed 3,132,687 Patented May12, 1964 from an elongated, generally rectangular blank of thermoplasticmaterial such as polyethylene plastic. This material should be selectedso that the surface thereof becomes tacky when heated to an elevatedtemperature of approximately 275 F. The blanks 23 are formed with a pairof projections 24 which are equidistantly spaced from the ends of theblank. These projections extend outwardly from one side of the blankand'have recesses 25 formed therein. The recesses 25 are formed as amajor portion of the periphery of a cricle while the projections are cutaway, providing divergent surfaces as at 26 to provide an access openingto the interior of the circularly formed openings 25. These blanks arethen folded at the midpoint so that they present an appearance asindicated in FIGURES 3 and 4 with the projections 24 aligned with oneanother. When so folded the blank presents two legs 26 and 27 whichextend generally parallel to one another and which are connected by thebight portion 28.

The sheet fabric which is to be used as the drapery material is thenfolded to define the normal pleats as indicated in FIGURES l and 5. Thelegs 26 and 27 of a pleat forming blank are then positioned within thefolded portions of the pleat so that the exterior sides 29 and 32 of thepleat are positioned on the outside of the legs 26 and 27, respectively,and with the inner folds 31 and 30 positioned between the legs. Thefolded portions 29, 30, 31 and 32 should have dimensions such that theyoverlie the sides of the legs 26 and 27 without obstructing the openings25 in the blanks. The legs are then bonded to the folded portions. Forexample, heat may be applied to the blanks and to the fabric sufficientto cause the surfaces of the blanks to become tacky. Pressure applied tothe folded portion alongside the legs of the blanks will cause thefabric to adhere to the surface of the blanks and be affixed theretowhen the blanks are cooled. The plural pleats in FIGURES 1 and 5 areformed in the drapery fabric in this manner. The bight portions 28 ofthe blanks should be positioned snugly against the tops of the fabricssoas to minimize the exposure of the blanks. When thus formed, theblanks serve to fix the pleats in position and at the same time providea stiffening reinforcement for the pleats. One .folded portion of thepleats is clamped between the legs of the blank while the other portionsare fixed to the legs of the blanks.

In order to hang the drapery thus formed to drapery rails, a rail of thetype illustrated in FIGURE 6 is preferably employed. This rail 40includes upper and lower horizontally extending tubes 33 and 34, whichextend generally parallel to one another and which may be formed with anangular spanning portion 35. This rail assembly is mounted in anyconvenient wall brackets 36. Before the rail member is mounted on thewall brackets, a plurality of slip rings 37 are positioned over theupper rail. These slip rings 37, which appear in FIGURES 7 and 8, may heslipped over the ends of the upper rail 33. The rail should have thesame number of slip rings as the drapery to be hung has pleats. The sliprings 37, as is seen particularly in FIGURE 8, have spaced surfaces ofreduced diameters 38 and 39 intermediate the ends thereof and spaced inaccordance with the spacing of the legs 26 and 27 of the pleat formingblanks. These reduced diameters correspond in size to the diameters ofthe recesses 25. Thus, the projections 24 may be snapped over theserings and held in the proper confining and spaced position by theremaining material of the rings. The material of the projections isspread slightly at the point of entrance to the recesses when theprojections are fitted on the rings. The material will spring backtoward the original position so as to fix the projections to the rings.

Thus, it will be seen that after the pleats are formed and the rail 33provided with the slip rings 37, the drapery is simply snapped over therings without need of any separately assembled fastening hooks.

When the drapery is suspended from the rail, the lower rail 34 providesan abutment against which the lower ends of the pleat forming blanks mayrest, thus, keeping the drapery in vertical suspended position.

FIGURES 9 through 13 inclusive illustrate the application of theprinciples of the invention to other forms of fabric such as a lampshade. In FIGURE 9, for example, a lamp shade of double, frustroconicshape is illustrated at 56. The lamp shade has a plurality of pleats 57formed therein near the upper and lower circular openings therein.

To aid this pleating process, a plurality of pleat forming blanks 58 asillustrated in FIGURES l1, l2 and 13 are employed. Each of these membersincludes a generally elongated blank of thermoplastic material which maybe polyethylene plastic or the like which melts at a temperature ofapproximately 275 F. They have a form and shape similar to the blanks ofFIGURES 1-8. In the blank form of these members illustrated in FIG- URE11, the members present a generally rectangular shape with a pair ofprojecting clamping portions 59 and as with recesses 61 and outwardlydivergent surfaces leading to the openings.

After the blanks 58 are formed as illustrated in FIG- URE 9, they arebent along their mid portion so as to provide a generally U shape asillustrated in FIGURE 12 with legs 64 and 65 and a bight portion 66.When so folded, the two clamping portions 59 and 60 are positionedalongside one another as is seen in FIGURE 13.

The blanks 58 are then assembled with the pleats in the mannerheretofore described with respect to FIG- URES 1-8.

When the pleats are thus formed, the downwardly projecting clampingportions 59 and 60 may be simply snapped over frame wires 50 and Sll asillustrated in FIGURE 8 thus holding the fabric in place on theframework. Frame wires 54 and 55 serve as abutments for the legs of theblanks for more rigid support.

Through use of the principles of the invention, the pleats are easilyand simply formed, without need of conventional vstitching procedures.At the same time, the pleats themselves are provided with fasteningfacilities. The pleat forming members additionally serve to rigidify thepleats for a proper rigid appearance of the same while maintaining thepleated fabric in the desired supported position.

Whereas I have shown and described an operative form of the invention,it should be understood that this showing and description thereof shouldbe taken in an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only. There are manymodifications in and to the invention which will fall within the scopeand spirit thereof and which will be apparent to those skilled in theart. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope ofthe hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pleated assembly including fabric having plural groups of foldedportions defining a plurality of pleats, rigid sheet material positionedbetween each group of folded portions and fixed thereto so as to holdsaid portions in pleated condition, said sheet material havingprojections extending outwardly therefrom, said projections havingoutwardly opening recesses therein, a pair of generally parallel,elongated, supporting members, said recesses being positioned over oneof said supporting members so as to support said fabric therefrom, otherI portions of said sheet material being in abutting relation to saidother supporting member.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein a plurality of slip rings areslidably received on said first named supporting member and said sliprings are positioned within said recesses.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said projections have outwardlydivergent surfaces leading to said recesses, said recesses have areascorresponding generally to the cross sectional area of said onesupporting member and said one supporting member is received within saidrecesses. I

4. The structure ofclaim 1 wherein said sheet material for each pleat isdefined by a folded plastic blank having generally parallel andidentical leg portions disposed within the folded portions of saidfabric.

5. A pleated assembly including fabric having lural groups of foldedportions defining a plurality of pleats, a pleat supporting memberconnected to each group of folded portions and fixed thereto so as tohold said portions in pleated condition, supporting means of circularcross-section, each said member having a projection extending laterallytherefrom at the upper portion of said member, said projection having acircular recess with a lateral opening at a side thereof spaced fromsaid folded portions, said recess being formed as a major portion of theperiphery of a circle corresponding in diameter to said supporting meanswith the opening to said recess being of a smaller width so as to allowa snap fitting and supporting engagement between said projection andsaid means, each said pleat supporting member being suspended on saidsupporting means with said supporting means being received within therecesses of said members.

6.-A pleated assembly including fabric having plural groups of foldedportions defining a plurality of pleats, a pleat supporting memberconnected to each group of folded portions and fixed thereto so as tohold said portions in pleated condition, a supporting rod and a pinrality of rings of circular cross-section slidably mounted on said rod,each said member having a projection extending laterally therefrom atthe upper portion of said member, said projection having a recess with alateral opening at a side thereof spaced from said folded portions, saidrecesses being formed as a major portion of the periphery of a circlecorresponding in diameter to said rings with the opening to said recessin each said member being of smaller dimension so as to allow a snapfitting and supporting engagement between said projection of each saidmember and one of said rings, each said pleat supporting member beingsuspended on one of said rings with a ring fitted within the recess ofeach pleat supporting member.

7. A pleated assembly including fabric having plural groups of foldedportions defining'a plurality of pleats, a pleat supporting memberconnected to each group of folded portions and fixed thereto so as tohold said portions in pleated condition, supporting means of circularcross-section, each said member having a projection extending laterallytherefrom at the upper portion of said member and an abutment surface atthe lower portion of said member, said projection having a cut-awayportion defining a recess with an opening thereto, said recess beingformed as a major portion of the periphery of a circle corresponding indiameter to said supporting means with the opening to said recess beingof smaller dimension so as to allow a snap fitting and supportingengagement between said projection and said means, said abutment surfacebeing spaced inwardly of said opening, and a support having a surfaceextending generally parallel to the axis of said circular cross-sectionof said means, said surface being in abutting relation to said support.

8. A pleat forming blank for fabric including a generally elongated andflat member formed from plastic material adapted to become tacky whenheated, said blank having projections extending from one side edgethereof, said projections being equally spaced from the ends of saidblank, said blank being folded along the medial portion thereof so as toprovide leg portions of said blank in side by side, spaced relation Withthe projections aligned with one another, each of said projectionshaving recesses therein adapted to removably engage a rod-like support,said projections being at an upper portion of said blank when said blankis folded, With the side edge of said blank providing abutment surfacesspaced inwardly of said projections at the lower portions of said legs.

9. The structure of claim 8 wherein said recesses are formed as a majorportion of a circle, and outwardly divergent openings lead through saidprojections to said recesses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS JewellSept. 5, 1922 2,126,834 Steinberger Aug. 16, 1938 2,524,958 Calvani Oct.10, 1950 2,623,583 Handley Dec. 30, 1952 2,646,116 Freeman July 21, 19532,978,735 Petzal Apr. 11, 1961

8. A PLEAT FORMING BLANK FOR FABRIC INCLUDING A GENERALLY ELONGATED ANDFLAT MEMBER FORMED FROM PLASTIC MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BECOME TACKY WHENHEATED, SAID BLANK HAVING PROJECTIONS EXTENDING FROM ONE SIDE EDGETHEREOF, SAID PROJECTIONS BEING EQUALLY SPACED FROM THE ENDS OF SAIDBLANK, SAID BLANK BEING FOLDED ALONG THE MEDIAL PORTION THEREOF SO AS TOPROVIDE LEG PORTIONS OF SAID BLANK IN SIDE BY SIDE, SPACED RELATION WITHTHE PROJECTIONS ALIGNED WITH ONE ANOTHER, EACH OF SAID PROJECTIONSHAVING RECESSES THEREIN ADAPTED TO REMOVABLY ENGAGE A ROD-LIKE SUPPORT,SAID PROJECTIONS BEING AT AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID BLANK WHEN SAID BLANKIS FOLDED, WITH THE SIDE EDGE OF SAID BLANK PROVIDING ABUTMENT SURFACESSPACED INWARDLY OF SAID PROJECTIONS AT THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID LEGS.